'No Kings Day' Riverside protest largely peaceful, until evening fell

On Saturday, June 14, millions of protestors across the country took to the streets in a coordinated protest called “No Kings Day.”

In Riverside, California, the protest began in the heart of downtown, where participants gathered at the intersection of Mission Inn Avenue and Orange Street at 4 p.m. From there, the march proceeded along Mission Inn Avenue. As it continued on Market Street, the march drew in individuals from diverse backgrounds to stand in solidarity with immigrant communities and advocate for change.

Organized by a coalition of advocacy groups, the demonstration aimed to denounce executive overreach and uphold the Constitution. 

On their website, the organizers assert, “In America, we don’t do kings,” adding, “They’ve defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights and slashed our services. The corruption has gone too far.”

For Emmanuel Elizalde, holding a placard that read “The most American thing to do right now is to protest,” the crowd gathered at the rally represented something deep. “They are the real Americans, the ones who care about the law and the origins of this country,” he said in Spanish. 

He believes that those principles are rooted in the Constitution; therefore, protesting is, in his view, a way to defend it. “We want to demonstrate that all that is happening [in the country] has consequences,” he added, “and that people are not going to remain silent.”

When asked whether he was concerned about joining the protests in light of recent events—where similar demonstrations in Los Angeles were dispersed with tear gas and crowd control munitions,injuring some protesters amidst the disputed deployment of the National Guard and Marines, Elizalde was clear: he is “more afraid of what will happen if we do nothing now.”

According to the coalition’s website, “No Kings is a nationwide day of defiance. From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we’re taking action to reject authoritarianism—and show the world what democracy really looks like.” This call to action drew people from diverse backgrounds who felt compelled to take a stand.

‘We the people,’ stand united

One of those voices was protester Sarah Riley, who expressed deep concern about the direction the country is heading. “We've seen just over the past four or five months now our country deteriorating before our very eyes. I mean, we see people getting dragged off the street, we see people scared to go outside, we see people getting ripped away from their families on a regular basis,” she explained. “We're out here to oppose just the tyranny that we're seeing in the government right now.”

For others, participating in the protest requires a deeply personal act of courage. Karla, who asked to be identified by her first name only, said she had to make a difficult choice before attending. “I am married with children, and we had to make the decision of who was going to come, because someone has to stay with my children if something happens to me,” she said in Spanish. “They can't scare us into hiding; we have to be here to let them know this is wrong.”

She reflected on how her children motivate her, remembering the traumatic raids she experienced with her parents in the eighties. That ordeal taught her “to run and to be afraid,” and she is resolute in making sure her children never encounter the same terror.

Another community affected by the actions of the current administration is the LGBTQ+ community, which has seen protections rolled back in multiple areas—blocking access to gender-affirming care, banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports and limiting federal recognition of gender identity, among other actions that directly impact individuals.

Communities mobilize to act

Viviana Mosqueda decided to participate wearing an LGBTQ+ flag wrapped around her shoulders “to show that I am not afraid of who I am.”

She expressed deep frustration over the lack of access to essential resources, especially for marginalized communities. She pointed out that statistics show highsuicide ideation rates among LGBTQ individuals—evidence, she said, that support is urgently needed. Yet, in her view, the government fails to uphold its promises of rights and benefits, choosing instead to favor what she describes as “rich white men.”

The protest remained peaceful and emotionally resonant throughout the afternoon, with no visible police presence, propelled by the steady beat of drums and the echo of chants rising from the crowd. At one moment, a woman led a call in Spanish: “Aquí estamos y no nos vamos, y si nos echan, nos regresamos,” or, “We are here and we will not leave, and if they throw us out, we will return.” The scent of copal, an incense traditionally used in Mexican rituals, floated in the air — a symbolic nod to cultural heritage and the deep-rooted presence of immigrant communities.

Thousands of participants from a wide range of racial, ethnic, and social backgrounds gathered in solidarity, unified in their opposition to policies they view as discriminatory and unjust. Demonstrators turned public space into a platform for collective expression, underscoring the power of community in the face of adversity.

Serious injuries 

The official protest ended at 7:30 p.m., but some protesters continued into the evening.  According to a CBS News report, at around 9 p.m., the driver of an SUV struck 21-year-old Alexa Carrasco. The driver had started provoking people in the crowd, according to friends of Carrasco. Protesters approached the SUV, and one of them hit the left taillight with an object. Carrasco was transported to the hospital with severe injuries. Riverside police are investigating the incident and working to identify the driver.